Archive FAQ > Fannish Next-of-Kin

What is a fannish next-of-kin agreement?

A fannish next-of-kin agreement allows the Archive of Our Own (AO3) to transfer ownership of your account to your designated fannish next-of-kin in the event of your death or permanent incapacitation. This allows that person to manage your account and fanworks for you after your death. The agreement must be set up ahead of time, and you must choose a specific individual who you want to be your fannish next-of-kin. Both you and your fannish next-of-kin must be registered users of AO3.

For more on how to set up a fannish next-of-kin, check out How do I choose someone to be my fannish next-of-kin? and Once I've chosen someone, how do I have the fannish-next-of-kin agreement made official?

Why would I want a fannish next-of-kin?

Sometimes fans don't want to have their works connected to their legal names in their wills, or they may not want their family members going through their account and deciding what to do with their fanworks. At the same time, they may want comments on their works to be permanently turned off after their death, or a farewell message to their community posted on their profile page or in their work notes. Having someone who you trust to make decisions about your account and fanworks means that you can have a separate way to have your fanworks taken care of and your fannish community informed of your passing.

Are there any risks to choosing a fannish next-of-kin?

If the person you appoint to be your fannish next-of-kin activates the agreement by sending a message to us, we will send a notification to your email address, but we won't do any other independent investigation to confirm the necessity for the transfer. AO3's role in the fannish next-of-kin agreement is only to act as a facilitator.

Once your fannish next-of-kin notifies us and the agreement is activated, your fannish next-of-kin will have complete control of your account. They will be able to do whatever they want with the account, even if it doesn't follow your wishes. Make sure that you trust the person you choose to handle your account the way you would want.

What happens if I die and I don't have a fannish next-of-kin agreement set up?

If you die and don't have a fannish next-of-kin agreement set up, your account will remain just as you left it. Unless you've left your password to someone else (such as an executor), no one will be able to delete, orphan, or modify your fanworks or their comments, except for Archive of Our Own (AO3) administrators acting in response to a Terms of Service violation or DMCA removal request.

How do I choose someone to be my fannish next-of-kin?

That's up to you. It should be someone reliable, who you trust to make decisions about your fanworks and follow whatever wishes you've laid out.

Once I've chosen someone, how do I have the fannish-next-of-kin agreement made official?

Both you and your fannish next-of-kin need to send a message to our Support Committee, which handles fannish next-of-kin requests, indicating that you want to have them as your fannish next-of-kin and that they agree. You both need to contact us from the email addresses associated with your Archive of Our Own (AO3) accounts and provide your usernames for our records. Once we have confirmed the matching requests, we will confirm to you that your fannish next-of-kin arrangement is in place.

Do I need to provide my legal name to set up a fannish next-of-kin agreement?

No, you don't need to provide your legal name. The only identifying information you need to provide about yourself and your fannish next-of-kin are your Archive of Our Own (AO3) usernames and email addresses.

Will anyone be told who my fannish next-of-kin is?

Your fannish next-of-kin agreement is covered by our Privacy Policy. Archive of Our Own (AO3) administrators will only use the information for the purposes of implementing the agreement. Otherwise, your fannish next-of-kin's identity will only be known between you and them, unless you choose to tell others.

If someone is my fannish next-of-kin, am I theirs?

The relationship can be reciprocal if you want, but it doesn't have to be. However, you can only have one person as your fannish next-of-kin at a time.

Why can't I have more than one fannish next-of-kin?

We want to know who has the final say. This arrangement exists precisely so that we don't have to mediate disputes over what you would have wanted.

Can I be the fannish next-of-kin for more than one person at a time?

Yes. Each person can only appoint one fannish next-of-kin, but that person may act as next-of-kin to multiple people. For example, Users A and B could both appoint User C as their fannish next-of-kin. However, User A cannot appoint both B and C as their fannish next-of-kin. They have to choose one person only to have control of the account after their death.

What happens if my fannish next-of-kin also dies?

Your fannish next-of-kin can designate someone else as their own fannish next-of-kin. If A designates B as a fannish next-of-kin and then dies, and B designates C as B's fannish next-of-kin and then dies, C would control all the accounts that B controlled, which at that point would include A's.

If your fannish next-of-kin dies before you do, you will need to choose a new person.

What if my fannish next-of-kin decides they no longer want to be my fannish next-of-kin, or if I decide I want to cancel my fannish next-of-kin agreement?

Either you or your fannish next-of-kin can end the agreement at any time by sending a message to our Support Committee. We will inform the other party that the agreement has been canceled. Please make sure you submit the report with the email associated with your account, and include your username and the username of the other person involved in the agreement so we can find the right record.

After your fannish next-of-kin agreement has been canceled, you are free to choose a new fannish next-of-kin.

When a fan is dead or incapacitated, their fannish next-of-kin will have control of the account and can make any decisions about it, including handing it off to someone else; the Archive of Our Own (AO3) cannot control whether or not anyone shares password information with anyone else. If the fannish next-of-kin later wants to stop managing the account, they can also ask us to take over management for them. If we take over management, then all existing content will stay in place – nothing will be added, changed, or removed.

In the event of my death, how can my fannish next-of-kin activate the transfer?

A fannish next-of-kin can activate the agreement by sending a message to the Archive of Our Own (AO3)'s Support Committee stating that you are dead or permanently incapacitated. They must contact us with the email address associated with their account. We will then send a message to the email address associated with your account. If we don't receive a response from that address within ten days, we will transfer control of your account to your fannish next-of-kin.

Make sure to keep the email address associated with your account up-to-date, and check it regularly. AO3 won't do any independent investigation into whether you are dead or incapacitated.

Why won't AO3 check to see whether I am really dead or incapacitated?

We don't want to collect or possess the kind of personal information that we'd need to confirm what your fannish next-of-kin says. It is your responsibility to choose someone you trust. If you want a custom arrangement, we suggest you make private arrangements with someone you trust to handle your passwords and accounts in the event of your death or incapacity.

How will you transfer the account if I die? Will you tell my fannish-next-of-kin my password?

No, we will not tell your fannish next-of-kin your password. (We don't know what your password is, because all AO3 passwords are encrypted so that AO3 administrators can't access them.) If the fannish next-of-kin agreement is activated, we'll update the email associated with the account to match the address provided by your next-of-kin. Your next-of-kin will then be able to reset the password through the normal "Forgot password" process.

What does my fannish next-of-kin get to do?

When the agreement is activated, we will transfer control of your Archive of Our Own (AO3) account to your fannish next-of-kin. After that, they can follow whatever guidelines you set for them before your death or incapacitation. Some examples of things you might ask them to do are:

It is up to you to communicate your wishes to your fannish next-of-kin. AO3 will only transfer the account; we can't enforce any particular agreement between you and your fannish next-of-kin.

What if my fannish next-of-kin does something I wouldn't like?

It isn't possible for the Archive of Our Own (AO3) to ensure that your fannish next-of-kin follows your exact wishes. All we will do is verify that you are unresponsive and transfer account control to the appropriate person. Please ensure you choose someone you trust to manage your account and fanworks the way you want them to be managed.

Help! Something went wrong: control of my account has been transferred, but I'm still hale and hearty!

If rumors of your death were greatly exaggerated, please contact our Support Committee right away. Whether you've turned up after being lost at sea for a decade or whether someone is trying to steal your identity, we'll try to get your account back to you ASAP.

Where can I get more information if my question isn't answered here?

If you have more questions about fannish next-of-kin agreements, please submit a Support request.